ATLANTIC rower Jasmine Harrison has returned home to Thirsk after her astonishing 3,000 mile record breaking lone journey across the ocean. Following weeks of TV interviews and global acclaim the 21 year old says the only thing she wants now is to be able to meet and thank the local sponsors and supporters who made the historic feat possible.

"I really want to say thank you to everybody who helped me, without them I wouldn’t have been able to do it. I want to tell them we did it. Without my sponsors I couldn’t have done it, the help and the support and the belief and that trust, that is what spurred me along the way," said Jasmine from her home in Sowerby, Thirsk. Unfortunately that’s going to have to wait, Jasmine with mum Susan must spend ten days in isolation to comply with quarantine restrictions and then wait for lockdown lifting.

Thirsk Yarnbombers display for Jasmine Harrison, who has set a new world record of single handedly rowing across the Atlantic Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

Thirsk Yarnbombers display for Jasmine Harrison, who has set a new world record of single handedly rowing across the Atlantic Picture: SARAH CALDECOTT

Jasmine secured a place in the history books as the youngest woman to row solo the 3,000 mile Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge. She did it in 70 days raising thousands of pounds for her chosen charities Shelterbox and Blue Marine. Even now she says it all seems like a dream.

As well as the gruelling and exhausting effort of rowing at least 12 hours a day she faced major hazards capsizing twice when she was thrown out of the boat and narrowly avoiding being crushed by an 800 foot long ship, but she insists she enjoyed every minute of it.

"The really difficult parts made the good bits even better, it would have been a different story if it had been smooth the entire way. There was no time when I thought I wasn’t going to get there, you can’t allow yourself to have negative thoughts I knew I had to make it or literally die, there is no turning back you just keep going.

"When I set off I was ready for the absolute worst, in my head I thought it was going to be impossible, so everything became easier," added Jasmine.

She has been amazed by the reaction. "I didn’t expect it, I didn’t want it, most of all I just wanted to row the ocean.” But she is hoping she may have helped other women especially to realise they can achieve their dreams. In an interview this week with the Duchess of Cambridge to mark International Women’s Day, the Duchess described Jasmine as an advocate for other people. “I like that, it’s what I would rather people saw,” adds the rower.

Jasmine is congratuled by the Duchess of Cambridge

Jasmine is congratuled by the Duchess of Cambridge

The future is under consideration, Jasmine has had many offers and says she wants to take time to weigh them up. The communities of Thirsk and Sowerby are keen to celebrate the record breaking youngster and there are discussions over what should be done, in the meantime many would say one of the biggest accolades is that the Thirsk yarn bombers have immortalised her epic trip with a series of knitted tributes in the town centre.